Control Freak
by canny-bairn
Summary: Hotch let's JJ know that it's okay to be a control freak every now and again.


**Disclaimer - I own nothing!**

**Hi, I haven't wrote or updated any ongoing fics in a while, I really should be concentrating on real life stuff rather than write fanfic but sometimes I just write a drabble while doing assignments to get my brain working. I've got a clutter of 500/1000 word documents on my laptop so, seeing as I'm ill right now I thought it was the perfect time to finish them off and publish some stuff. **

**Let me know what you think!**

...

"Once again, I'm so sorry for your loss." JJ consoled the grieving family before signalling to Reid and Blake to follow her out of the room.

The family of the last victim were huddled together sobbing as JJ closed the door and turned to her two hovering colleagues in disbelief. "What was that?"

"They asked what had happened." Blake answered oblivious to her younger colleague's evident anger.

Reid cleared his throat awkwardly. "They do have a right to know."

JJ eyed her friend sternly. "There's this thing called tact that we have to use every now and again."

"JJ, they wanted honesty and I find that it's best to give a grieving family at least that." Blake countered void of emotion.

The former media liaison pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "You both need to remember that not everyone is comforted with scientific facts and it's often better to be comforting rather than blunt."

"Is everything okay with the Williams'?" Hotch asked as he approached the small group.

JJ struggled not to roll her eyes. "They're dealing."

Blake and Reid exchanged a confused look before backing away from the pair. Reid pursed his lips thoughtfully as they stepped back. "We'll go and help pack up."

"What's going on?" Hotch asked as he and JJ remained standing outside the waiting room.

The blonde profiler groaned quietly. "It took me years to get Reid to be consoling when breaking the bad news to families then as soon as Blake shows up he regresses back to the days when he wore those itchy wool great-grandpa jumpers."

Hotch sniggered at her harsh tone. "What happened?"

"Joanna's father asked how she died. Blake started going on about lack of oxygen to the brain to which Reid accompanied with the time it would have taken Joanna to lose consciousness. When I walked in Mrs Williams was in hysterics." JJ sighed.

Before the Unit Chief could reply, the Williams family exited the waiting room with the lead detective, both parents and the two adult children were pale and struggling to remain composed.

Hotch led JJ to an empty desk and kept his voice low. "Blake is a good profiler."

"I'm not saying she isn't. I happen to like her, I just..."

"Your role on the team has changed JJ. Blake doesn't have you show her how things are supposed to be done because you're concentrating on your new duties and that's how it's supposed to be."

JJ's eyes widened slightly in confusion. "What does that mean?"

"It took you three weeks to get me to start praising others around me when I became Unit Chief. It took you a year to get Reid to be more sensitive. The only reason Morgan got through his stint as team leader is because you were taking on half of his duties and that was after running through scenarios with him so he knew how to conduct himself in meetings." Hotch stated knowingly.

JJ's mouth dropped in surprise. "How do you know about that?"

"I may have been walking around in a haze but I but was aware of all the extra hours you were putting in." He reasoned pointedly before continuing. "I also know it was you and not me who got Rossi to be more open to teamwork and that Prentiss wouldn't have made it past her first week if you hadn't had covered for her after she messed up that consult with the LA field office."

He paused as a guilty blush crossed her cheeks. "I'm well aware that you're working slowly on reducing Garcia's exuberant behaviour in professional settings, especially around Strauss and that you've never stopped assessing potential BAU cases even when you were in the DOD."

"Oh..."

Hotch nodded once. "Yeah, I know you've been helping Garcia pick cases and that at least the first three cases we worked without you were actually chosen by you."

"You make me sound like a control freak." She bemoaned while patting her hot cheeks with the back of her hands to cool them.

He smiled warmly. "You're not a control freak, JJ, you're a compassionate and thoughtful leader and a really good one at that."

"Hotch." JJ struggled to accept the compliment.

"I know this team wouldn't be what it is today if it wasn't for you. I was in a tailspin when I got the promotion. My only good decision in my first year as Unit Chief was hiring you as Communication Coordinator." The supervisor said modestly.

JJ shook her head adamantly. "That's not true. The BAU is what is today because of you, not me."

"I was struggling and you knew it." Hotch replied deadpan.

"You got the whole department back on its feet after Boston." She pointed out knowingly.

Hotch countered pointedly. "I brought Gideon back even though I knew he was damaged."

"He needed to return at some point." She argued.

"I hired Elle." He stated dryly.

"She knew how to shoot straight." JJ smirked.

He cocked an eyebrow in confusion. "How did we get onto this topic of conversation?"

"I was pissed at Blake and Reid." She answered with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Right." He took a small breath before replying. "You've changed a lot over the last eight years and you're an excellent profiler now. I'm so proud of you for adjusting so well to the profiling, but just because you're a profiler now doesn't mean you can't call on your talents as a communication coordinator from time to time."

JJ inhaled deeply. "I feel as though my former occupation was always classed as a lower and less significant role on the team especially after I was traded to the DOD without a batter of an eyelash."

"Then that's something I should have worked on because you've always been one of the most essential members the BAU has ever had par none." Hotch said softly.

"So what's this all about?" She asked curiously after his unexpected appraisal.

The Unit Chief eyed the door to the room where the rest of the BAU team were packing up their belongings. "Blake needs braking in. I need you to handle it. I thought she was adjusting but she's not going to, properly unless she softens up a little."

"She's technically my senior agent." The 35 year old stated with raised eye brows.

"Yeah but if you ever cared about technicalities you wouldn't have interfered after Emily got back and organised it so our team got a suspension and faced the budget committee rather than being fired and face the intelligence committee or worse, a grand jury."

"I don't know what you're talking about." JJ responded innocently.

Hotch rolled his eyes. "Sure you don't."

"Hey guys are we leaving any time soon?" Morgan called out further down the corridor.

Hotch turned and met his colleague's bewildered gaze. "We'll be with you in a minute."

JJ crossed her arms as she observed her boss's tired expression. "I never meant to interfere so much."

"JJ, I never saw it as interfering." He exhaled in a huff. "If anything I was honoured that you'd do so much for me and the team and not even ask for any credit. I felt bad sometimes that we'd take such advantage of you and not give you thanks."

"Are you saying you that I'm slacking in interfering with the daily BAU goings-on and you need to take more advantage of me?" JJ blushed at the sudden realisation of what she had said.

Hotch chuckled lowly. "I'm just asking for your help."

"You know I'd do anything for you and the team." JJ smiled sweetly.

"I know, and I'm sorry, that for so long you thought your role on the team was inferior to ours. No-one, and I mean no-one, ever thought you weren't an important part of the Unit. We were lost when you left, but it was only because you had got the BAU up to such a high standard before you left and were still playing a part in our lives, that we managed to get by."

The female profiler bit her lower lip shyly. "That's really nice of you to say, Aaron. Thank you."

Hotch smiled and signalled behind him. "We should get going."

JJ nodded in agreement. "I'm right behind you."

**...**

**Thanks for reading!**


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